Former Persona studio director reveals more about Atlus’s new RPG Metaphor: ReFantanzio
Atlus announced on April 23 that its upcoming RPG Metaphor: ReFantanzio will be released on October 11. It will be available on PC (Steam/Microsoft store), PS4/PS5 and X Box Series S|X. Global preorders have opened today, with a collector’s edition available in addition to the standard physical and digital editions. Atlus has also revealed tantalizing details about the upcoming title in their showcase steam, which debuted on Youtube on April 22.
Anticipation has been bubbling up around Metaphor: ReFantanzio because it is being developed by Studio Zero- a dev studio established by the team that has worked on the Persona series since Persona 3. The studio is led by former P-Studio director Katsura Hashino, who is also directing the upcoming game. According to Hashino’s speech during the aforementioned showcase stream, the new IP is being developed by members of Persona 5’s dev team, and Persona series composer Shoji Meguro will be providing the soundtrack. He also commented that creating a large-scale fantasy RPG is a first for him as well as Atlus, adding that the studio is using their own unique approach to make Metaphor.
The game is set in a kingdom that has fallen into chaos after the assassination of the king. This causes the Royal Magic to be invoked, allowing any individual to become king, regardless of status, if they can gain the support of the people. Consequently, the world becomes embroiled in a royal tournament for the throne. In trying to lift a deadly curse from the kingdom’s prince, the protagonist will also become involved in this electoral battle, and the game will involve traveling around the world. On your journey you will come across rivals, forge alliances and battle terrifying monsters called “Humans.” Hashino emphasizes that what makes Metaphor: ReFantanzio different from other RPGs is the perspective of its characters- for them, our world is a fantasy.
Unlike previous Atlus RPGs, Metaphor: ReFantanzio’s gameplay places emphasis on action. Although battles are turn-based, they incorporate real-time actions such as attacking, evading, dashing and analyzing things. Apparently, combat at the start of the game will be intentionally difficult to provide tension and a sense of achievement when you win. To help widen the game’s appeal, the difficulty level can be customized, with various adjustable options that will make it easier for players to enjoy the game regardless of skill.
The game has reportedly been in development since 2016 as PROJECT REFantasy, with its official name being announced last June. Today, it has finally been revealed that Metaphor: ReFantanzio will be released on October 11. If you want to get a sneak peek at Metaphor: ReFantanzio’s gameplay and dynamic environments, and listen to Katsura Hashino’s full presentation about the game, we recommend that you check out the Atlus Exclusive Showcase.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is scheduled to be released for PC (Steam/Microsoft store), PS4/PS5 and XBox Series S|X on October 11.
Written by. Verity Townsend based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2024-04-23 08:06 JST)
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After so much Persona like games, it’s very refreshing to have something new that tries to redefine the JRPG formula with Metaphor. Admittingly i was a bit cynical after Soul Hackers 2 and TMS but i do think this is something that has made me optimistic that for once we are getting out of mediocrity with the veteran Atlus staff from SMT and Persona joining forces.